Solution Architect

Find where you belong, and build your future, as a Solution Architect at Westfield.

Westfield’s IT organization enables the company’s strategic priorities in collaboration with our business partners.  By continually transforming and evolving with the business, we deliver new solutions to meet their needs and integration with top industry software products.  We have a culture of innovation, supported by the stability of our 170+ year history.  We are able to provide our agents and customers with insights and solutions to protect them and help them prosper.

Solutions Architect

Salary Range:  $109,192 - $125,572 - $141,950

The Solution Architect is accountable for the identification, evaluation and selection of technology-related solutions to business problems which are delivered via IT projects and other initiatives. They work across multiple domains to facilitate meetings with Business stakeholders, Project Managers, IT Leaders, other Architects, and Technical Leads to identify and propose solution options for consideration. The Solution Architect is accountable for the solution's technical integrity, fit-for-purpose, and conformance to the Enterprise business and technical architectural direction.

Solution Architects serves the Architect Community by contributing to the definition and implementation of enterprise patterns, practices, standards and models which are used by teams involved in the development of applications or the delivery of services.

The Solution Architect is typically engaged during inception and planning for projects that are of moderate complexity. These projects or initiatives often have architectural significance with many impacted applications, platforms, or domains. During project execution they have oversight responsibilities to ensure deliverables align with the architectural design and expected results are achieved.

Essential Functions (primary functions and/or reasons the job exists in order of importance)

1. Accountable for the identification, evaluation and selection of technology-related solutions to business problems which are delivered via IT projects and other initiatives. Typically engaged during inception and planning for projects that are of moderate complexity.

2. Partners with stakeholders (Enterprise Architect, Project Manager, Business Sponsors, Asset Owner, IT Leaders, technical resources) to review, clarify and refine the definition of the identified business need(s).

3. Works with architects, analysts and other stakeholders across all impacted domains to develop and propose more than one feasible solution with options and implications.

4. Seeks opportunities to leverage and promote enterprise business and technical capabilities within solution options.

5. Delivers Project/Initiative documents including but not limited to: Options and Impacts analysis; Project Solution Architecture Documents; etc.

6. Ensures solutions align to enterprise architecture principles, standards and target architecture.

7. Serves as final reviewer and approver of high-level designs and approaches, as well as, key technical decisions.

8. Prepares and presents project documentation for the appropriate Architecture Review Board.

9. Escalates and drives resolution of issues to the appropriate resource group (e.g. Infrastructure, Security, Application, and Data).

10. Assists and directs technical activities for less experienced domain professionals (practitioners).  May be asked to assist with management decisions and activities.

11. Contributes to the advancement of enterprise and solution architecture practice maturity.

12. Contributes to developing and enforcing architecture standards and policies.

13. Engages in strategic thinking and takes actions based on anticipating both obstacles and opportunities while maintaining a long-term, big picture view of the company’s business and technology needs.

14. May perform very limited coding or engineering activities. Typically R&D activities or to assist in solving for new or complex patterns.

15. Maintains awareness of business, technical, and infrastructure issues and seeks opportunities to resolve them.

16. Travels occasionally in order to participate in special assignments, training, and/or travel between offices.

Desired Qualifications/Experience/Certification/Education (in order of importance)

1. 5+ years relevant work experience in one or more of the architecture domains (e.g. business, applications, data, and infrastructure).

2. Previous experience with projects that are of moderate complexity and have many assigned project resources.

3. Previous experience aligning local goals and direction with Business and IT vision, strategy and priorities.

4. Previous experience defining and discerning key aspects of a problem and developing an integrated solution within a broad technical and business context.

5. Comfortable with thought conflict and dealing with ambiguity.

6. Strong verbal and writing skills including the ability to translate technical data into user-friendly terminology and graphics. Adept at developing and presenting complex material effectively to a wide variety of technical and non-technical audiences.

7. Capable of working with all levels of the organization.

8. Ability to positively influence and motivate others in the adoption and implementation of processes and technology solutions.

9. Proven ability to develop effective working relationships and earn respect and credibility with both technical and business leadership.

10. Ability to perform work that is complex and varied, with latitude for independent judgment and minimal to no formal supervision.

11. Familiarity with The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) or other architecture frameworks.

12. Property & Casualty insurance industry process knowledge is a plus.

13. Project Management experience with the ability to logically organize and plan work and tasks.

14. Programming experience within their primary domain.

15. Bachelor’s Degree or commensurate experience, in information technology or a business related field.

16. Valid driver’s license and a driving record that conforms to company standards.

Physical Requirements (specific to the role)

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 

• Ability to work effectively in an office environment for 40+ hours per week (including sitting, standing, and working on a computer for extended periods of time).
• Ability to communicate effectively in a collaborative work environment utilizing various technologies such as: phone; web, voice, and tele-conferencing; email; etc.
• Ability to travel as required. 

This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed in this role. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, skills, responsibilities, knowledge, etc. These may be subject to change and additional functions may be assigned as needed by management.